Málaga is one of southern Spain’s most welcoming and happening cities, and it more than justifies a visit. Visitor figures soared after the Museo Picasso opened in 2003 and again after a new cruise-ship terminal opened in 2011, and the city has had a well-earned face-lift, with many of its historic buildings restored or undergoing restoration. The area between the river and the port has been transformed into the Soho art district, and since the arrival of three new art museums in 2015, the city has become one of southern Europe's centers for art. Alongside all this rejuvenation, some great shops and lively bars and restaurants have sprung up all over the center.
True, the approach from the airport certainly isn’t that pretty, and you'll be greeted by huge 1970s high-rises that march determinedly toward Torremolinos. But don’t give up: in its center and eastern suburbs, this city of about 550,000 people is a pleasant port, with ancient streets and lovely villas amid exotic foliage. Blessed with a subtropical climate, it's covered in lush vegetation and averages some 324 days of sunshine a year.
Central Málaga lies between the Río Guadalmedina and the port, and the city’s main attractions are all here. The Centro de Arte Contemporáneo (CAC) sits next to the river; to the east lies the Soho district, hoisted from its former seedy red-light reputation to a vibrant cultural hub with galleries and up-and-coming restaurants. Around La Alameda boulevard (mostly pedestrianized in 2019), with its giant weeping fig trees, is old-town Málaga: elegant squares, pedestrian shopping streets such as Calle Marqués de Larios, and the major monuments, which are often tucked away in labyrinthine alleys.
Eastern Málaga starts with the pleasant suburbs of El Palo and Pedregalejo, once traditional fishing villages. Here you can eat fresh fish in the numerous chiringuitos and stroll Pedregalejo's seafront promenade or the tree-lined streets of El Limonar. A few blocks west is Málaga's bullring, La Malagueta, built in 1874, and Muelle Uno (port-front commercial center), whose striking glass cube is home to the Centre Pompidou. It's great for a drink and for soaking up views of the old quarter.
